Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Thomas Vanek tallied a hat trick and two
assists, leading the Buffalo Sabres to a thrilling 7-4 victory over the Boston
Bruins at TD Garden.

"Pucks are going in right now for me," Vanek said. "There's going to be
stretches where nothing goes my way. So you like it right now, but you know
it's going to head the other way."

Cody Hodgson added a goal and two assists for the Sabres, who snapped a four-
game losing skid thanks to scoring four times in the final 20 minutes. Alex
Sulzer, Tyler Ennis and Jason Pominville also lit the lamp, while Ryan Miller
made 38 saves.

Brad Marchand scored twice, Rich Peverley and David Krejci once each for the
Bruins, who suffered their first regulation loss of the season.

Tuukka Rask was tagged for six goals on 31 shots in defeat, as Boston
surrendered its most goals in one game thus far in 2013.

"We had lots of scoring chances, we had lots of shots...when we score four
goals, we usually win," said Bruins head coach Claude Julien. (It was)
uncharacteristic of our hockey club. "We'll make some corrections tomorrow,
and try and solidify our defensive play again."

Boston took a 4-3 lead at 1:45 of the third on a wrister from Krejci, but
Sulzer equalized only 43 seconds later on his floater from the right circle.

Vanek then dished off to Hodgson for a successful one-timer on the left side
and Buffalo led 5-4 with less than seven minutes gone.

Miller made several key saves through the midway point of the final period,
and Rask was spared trouble with just under four minutes left when Ennis --
who was left alone in front -- couldn't get a handle on the puck despite
several stick fakes.

Vanek finished off his trifecta by swooping in on a 2-on-0 break, then
outwaiting Rask and a sliding Peverley after a pass from Hodgson, and scoring
on a backhander with 1:31 remaining for a 6-4 lead.

Rask was pulled for an extra skater shortly thereafter, and Pominville hit the
empty net.

"We made some mistakes & didn't cover for it," offered Bruins captain Zdeno
Chara as his team surrendered the most goals in a game decided in regulation
since an 8-2 loss against Toronto in March of 2008.

Following a scoreless first period which saw the hosts misfire on two power
plays, Vanek ripped a Hodgson pass by Rask from the left circle at 1:38 of the
second.

"It was pretty easy. Just get open and wait for the puck," Hodgson said about
playing on a line with Vanek and Pominville. "They battle hard on every puck
and we played well together.

Peverley tied the game at 5:12, lifting a shot over traffic and a prone Miller
from the edge of the right circle, and Marchand snaked his way through the
Buffalo zone and scored on a backhand to make it 2-1 at 7:43.

Marchand slipped one home at 10:54 for a 3-1 Bruins edge, capping almost a
minute of pressure along with linemates Tyler Seguin and Patrice Bergeron.

Vanek's deflection from the slot off a Christian Ehrhoff pass on a 5-on-3
power play pulled the visitors within one, and Ennis beat Rask from the right
side at even strength with 1:41 to go for a 3-3 deadlock.

Game Notes

Vanek upped his career mark against Boston to 28 goals and 26 assists in 46
games ... The Austrian winger posted the 41st multi-goal effort of his career
and eighth career hat trick, his first since Apr. 5, 2011 against the Tampa
Bay Lighting ... Thursday was also his second five-point performance of
the shortened season, after a two-goal, three-assist effort in a 5-2 win over
Philadelphia in Buffalo's season opener on Jan. 20 ... Miller improved to
8-5-3 lifetime in 17 games at Boston ... Boston won four of six from
Buffalo last season and all three at home ... The Sabres' last win in
Boston occurred on Mar. 10, 2011 (4-3 OT).